Automatic control for wind-driven propellers



Jan. 10, 1950 OSTERBACK 2,493,895

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR WIND-DRIVEN PROPELLERS Filed May 9, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

27/4/12: Osferbaak Patented Jan. 10, 1950 AUTOMATIC CONTROL non;

I --PROPELLERS FIND-DRIVEN Alvin "oster'back. Sand rmer, Alaska Application May 9; 1945,'Scrial No. '592,88fi

lates .to a method and apparatus therefor to reducethe speed of rotation of a propeller employedas a windmill when the wind increases in velocity beyond .a certainpredetermined magnitude.

Windmills as a source of. power have been and are still .of great-importance .for many special uses. One such example :is thatof charging electric batteries,.,particularly .in places where electrio '..power "lines are absolutely not available orare. ndti .practically available for one reason or another. V a

In 'definingm'y invention'l will describe'the same as applied to the problems peculiar to charging 'ba'tteries .b y a'-wind.;.poweredmil1 but be it no'te'd'tha't the application .ofmy invention is not to be so-limi-ted but is toibe .co-eXtensive with fieldswihere like principles are involved.

In isolated sections,- as on Alaskan islands, the Windmill is -a .most important source of power. However, charging an electric batteryinvolves maintaining 'the cha'rging voltage within .a certainlrange 'for a given battery in order that damage thereto -by an excessive voltage may be avoided. As well known, the wind velocity may vary greatly. LItmay be very low on certain days and 'the'reforethe blades of the windmill must be capable of operating .at their utmost efiiciency;

At other 't'imes'the velocity .of the wind maybe of i storm velocity character and would produce a voltagesu'ch as to destroy the battery, if not wreck the windmill itself.

A' primary'object of my invention is to provide a simple, reliable, regulated 'source' of power in the form of a controlled propellerto act as a windniillfer -chargir1'g an electric battery. "It is my purpose to provide a control 'for'the blade of the propeller which will directly regulate the effect of the wind upon the propeller.

, Afurther object of my invention is to. provide th'e'blad'e of aprop'eller with a braking mechanism which automatically reduce the velocity of rotation within such limits as will produce a charging voltag'eindneinjurious tothe battery.

The above mentioned general objects of my invention, together with others inherent in :the

same, are'attain'ed by the mechanism illustrated in the following drawings, the same being preferred exemplary forms of embodiment of my invention, throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure l is a view in front elevation of a pro- 5 Claims. (01. 110-75) my invention in .opempo'sition;

1+1 orr'iaie.

. This spring ['8 is mounted upon a it'm'ay'b'e o'fround'lorm' if sufficiently large) 'llhe.

. 2 pellerlblade provided with the control -mecha ri ism of myinvention .shown in dotted line as the same is-on the'back-fside; I I

jg. .2 is-=a viewin edge elevation of the roperty, embodying my invention; (Fig.3 is a view ofthe backside of the (probe 1' blade-embodyingmyinvention; I Fig.4 is'a view' of a control mechanisrn -e'me body-ingmyinyentionin closed .positiom I iiFig. 5 is a view "of the control mechanism "or.

I Fig. 16 is a'view .of 'ainodified .form of vent'ion; and I I I s Figfll is a view in crosslsection on dottedfjli I .A'gpropell'e'r 'lhhavihg blades l I and "[2 of invention is provided with a control mechanism' lsidentical for each blade. This comprises a plate hingedly mounted by pin [5 to Th' inge member 116 secured to the blade I I byri et-means I] .or otherwise. My'inven'tion 'will be described withjrespect fto blade I I it being understood that thesame description applies vto blade 12. Plate I4 is held closed by resilient or spring means' l B.

I I link ls'hane heads "20 and 21. Spring 1.8 bears on one d agaihs't'hea'dil and against a washer 22 slid y 1 carried on'lirik [9. "Ifhe .plate' has an ope ng 2'5 (preferably of slot form although obviously plate 14 has a slightly bent outward edge .por -i tion23 to make 'an'open'in'g "24 between the blade 1. LI, 'and'the plate I4. The link 19 passes through 1' opening 26 (preferably of slot form althoughob viously'th'e opening may be round if .suflicie'ntly large) in the blade ll to permit'ire'e and an'gl'r- I lar'iopera'tion of the'l-i'nk and the spring mounted thereon in connection with the hinged plate 1.4.

In the modified .form of my invention F!i'gs.. 6

and 7.1a pla'te .is hingedlyymountedon pin .28..

tolplate mounting means 1.9 secured to rouowingfedgeportion of blade .30. On .pin 28 is se-f, cured resilient means 3], preferably on each end thereof. .lflhisfis'pring bears on plate '21 and mounting means 29 thereby urging plate #211 against the lleaclingledge-of .theiblade 30. Mount, inglmean-s'29 has turned up means 32 .to =ac t -as. a stop .for th'e plate 21 to allow it to open to a. predetermined-extent I The ,mode of operation of the blade embody; ing invention is as fo'llows: the -leadirr g; edge or each of the blades II and I2 of ..a; p p' peller :0 (preferably on each blade to provide balance) is mounted the braking or controlling mechanism of my invention. The plate l4 prefand is slightly bent backward as respects edge portion 23 in order to facilitate the building up of a pressure on the plate [4 to throw open the plate I4 against the action of the spring 18. It is manifest that the degree of angular opening of plate I4 with respect to the blade ll depends directly upon and is proportionately responsive to the amount of air pressure against plate M. In turn the magnitude of this pressureis dependent upon the velocity of the propeller i and this in turn is dependent upon the wind velocity impinging upon the propeller l0. Accordingly; the r'esiliv ently mounted control or braking mechanism of my invention is mounted upon the leading edge velocity of the wind striking the same.

,15 i of a blade H of a propeller and its operation is directly and proportionately responsive to the V V 4' 3. In combination with a propeller blade having an opening therein, a plate member, having a slot therein, hingedly, connected to the following edge portion of the blade and having its free end portion directed toward and initially spaced from the leading edge portion of the blade to provide an air space between its free end portion and the leading edge portionof the blade, whereby air passing the blade willfenter said air space and tend to angularly move the'plate member .away from the blade; and resilient means urging the said opening in the blade and through the slotin said plate, said link member having a head on each end thereof, a washer slidably mounted on said link, and resilient means mounted on said link bearing against one head of said link and My invention is characterized by its simplicity oi co nstruction and therefore reliabilityin ope'r as thereisnothing requiring. routine at- .t'ntion. are avoided by my invention and the same is capable of rugged construction so as'to' be operable under extreme conditions. Actual operation in sleet and snow has proveny'the device of my invention to "be free of objectionable interference.

. f1he ,mo de joper ation of the modified form of" the device embodying my invention in general similar to the form first described herein. The link I9 is omitted and no opening 26 is made in thebla de 30. The resilient means 3| operates tourge the plate '21 against the leading. edge as does spring 18. The stop. 32 limitsthe opening off'the' plate 21, thusperlforming the function of 'link [0 in the respect of the first form of my invention described herein.

Obviously, changes may dimensions, and arrangement of the parts of my invention, without departing from the principle thereof, theabove setting forth .only preferred forms of embodiment.

Lclaimi the 'blafdellwill "enter said, air space and tend to,

angularl y rnove theplate member away from said blade and resilient means oarried'by said plate.

merlrrberv and said: blade and urging said? plate' member" toward said blade. j j

12.;niombination with its free end portionand the leading edge portion.

of the blade, whereby air passing the blade will enter said air space andtend-to'angula'rly move theplate member away from said blade and resilient means carried by said plate member and said blade andrurging said plate member toward said blade.

' Even routine matters such'as' lubrication be made in the forms,

11. In combination with a propeller blade, a platernember hingedly connected .to the follow-f ing, edge portion and protruding beyond the leading'portion of the blade, disposed on the high pressure surface thereohand having itsfree end} portion directed toward the leading edge portion" of ,the. blade and shaped to provide an air space betweendts free. end portionandthe leading; edge p tionof the blade, whereby air passing 7 a propeller' 'bladelfa plate member hingedly connected to the following edge portion of the blade, disposed on the highv against said Washer.

resilient means comprising .a' link passing through.

the said opening in the'blade andjthrdl h saii slotin' the plate member, said link having a fixed head member on one end and an adjustable'nutf on-the other, ,a washerslidably mounted' 'o'n said link," and resilient means mounted on. said link. bearing againstsaid adjustable nut of said link and against said washer. 5. In combination witha propeller blade, .a; plate member hingedly connected to the follow-' ing edge portion of the blade and having its free end portion directed toward and initially spaced. from the leading edge portion of the bladetoproe; vide 'an air space between its free end portion: and the leadingedge portion of the blade, where: by air passing the blade will enter said ain'spaeeQ and'tend to angularly move theplatevmember'i away fromsaid blade; andresilient means .urg-,-', ing said plate member toward said blade, said re-i' silient means comprising a pin hingedly con-,. nected with saidplate memben l and resilienti means; mounted on said pin, abutting said bladef. and urging said plate toward. the blade. I ALVIN osTEBBAcK.

REFERENCES orrEn I The following references areuof record in the Y file of this patent: 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 244,385 r GreatBritainunuQDec.1'7, 1 9251 

